The invention generally relates to devices for use during a stamping operation, such as a pilot device used in a stamping machine, such as a press, to locate a sheet of material as part of a manufacturing process. More particularly, the invention relates to a pilot assembly having a stripper device for separating the sheet of material from the pilot assembly after the stamping operation is performed in the stamping machine.
In certain manufacturing processes, a stamping machine, such as a press, is used to cut or shape a sheet of material. For example, a press can be used to cut or shape a sheet of sheet metal. Stamping machines can include a number of tools, such as dies, for cutting or forming, and it is often important to align a sheet of material with respect to those tools. Pilot devices are used to align, or locate, a sheet of material with respect to the stamping machine. For example, a sheet of material can be provided with alignment holes, and a pilot device can include one or more shafts that are configured to fit within the alignment holes. When the sheet of material is moved into an initial position with respect to the stamping machine, the pilot device can be used to move the sheet of material into a specific alignment position with respect to the stamping machine. The pilot device can also be used to hold the sheet of material in a fixed position during a stamping operation. The shafts of the pilot device can include rounded and tapered ends for engaging with the alignment holes in a sheet of material, thereby accommodating slight variability in the initial position of the sheet of material
A stamping machine uses substantial forces to cut or shape a sheet of material. These substantial forces can sometimes cause a sheet of material to stick to a component of a stamping machine, such as a pilot device, following a stamping operation. In addition, alignment holes in a sheet of material can be closely sized with respect to the shafts of a pilot device, and the alignment holes can tightly grip the shafts during and after a stamping operation. So-called stripping or stripper devices have been developed to address the problem of separating a sheet of material from a stamping machine following a stamping operation.
A need remains, however, for improvements relating to separating a sheet of material from a pilot device after a stamping operation.